This invention relates to cigarette packing methods and apparatus, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for applying a C-shaped innerframe to a cigarette bundle as part of a cigarette packing operation.
One of the more popular cigarette packages is a box in which the cigarettes stand upright and are accessed by pivoting back a box top or lid. To help keep the lid firmly and neatly closed except when deliberately opened, the box typically contains a cardboard innerframe which extends up from inside the front and side walls of the lower main portion of the box and which interferes somewhat with the pivoting of the lid.
In some boxes it has been found that an innerframe which projects up only from the front and sides of the main portion of the box is not strong or stable enough to reliably provide the desired interference with motion of the top. Although also possible in other box shapes, this has been found to be particularly true in boxes with rounded corners. In such cases it has been found that the innerframe performs better if it is additionally provided with rear flaps inside the rear wall of the lower main portion of the box. These rear flaps are extensions of the side walls of the innerframe and may also project up from the main portion of the box. These flaps help to stabilize the innerframe in the box and to brace or reinforce the side walls (and hence the front wall) of the innerframe. All of these effects enable the innerframe to more reliably provide the desired interference with opening of the lid.
Innerframes without rear flaps have a generally U-shaped cross section when viewed from the top of the box. Such innerframes are relatively easy to apply to a cigarette bundle before making up the box around the bundle/innerframe combination. Machines for performing these operations are well known and are commercially available. Innerframes with rear flaps, however, have a more complicated C-shaped cross section when viewed from the top of the box. Innerframes with this shape cannot be applied to a cigarette bundle with the known machines.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of this invention to provide improved cigarette packing methods and apparatus.
It is a more particular object of the invention to provide methods and apparatus for applying a C-shaped innerframe to a cigarette bundle as part of a cigarette packing operation.